Connection structure for the frames of a playpen

ABSTRACT

A connection structure for the frames of a playpen including an upper frame, a lower frame and four corner posts. The upper frame is composed of four collapsible rails each having a pair of flat end portions respectively pivoted to the upper portion of the posts, each post being covered by one of four corner members. Four foot members are secured to the lower end of the posts respectively. The lower frame is of a conventional structure which has an octagonal hub at the lower center of the playpen, four elongate rods, each respectively pivoted between the hub and one of the four foot members to make a cross configuration, a pair of collapsible transverse rods spacedly pivoted between the adjacent elongate rods parallel to each other, and a strap connecting the transverse rods through the top of the octagonal hub. When the hub is pulled upward the rails are pushed downward, the four corner posts are forced to move inward so as to collapse the playpen into a compact rectangular configuration.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the playpen and moreparticularly to a connection structure for the frames of a playpen, saidconnection structure to make the playpen more stable and more durable incomparison to the conventional playpens.

[0002] Typical playpen is composed of an upper frame, a lower frame andfour corner posts. The upper frame (as shown in FIG. 1) includes a pairof long rails 11 and a pair of short rails 12 (the two sets of rails mayalso be of the same length) each respectively connected to its cornermember 10 by rivet pin 111 and 121 through the aligned thru holes 102and 103. Each corner member 10 also has a socket 101 inside its body forreceiving respectively the corner post 13 which is secured by the rivetpin 131. Therefore, the rails 11 and 12 and the corner posts 13 arerespectively connected to the corner member 10.

[0003]FIG. 2 shows a U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,437 which is structurallysimilar to that described above and includes four corner members 20 forrespectively connecting a pair of long rails 21 and a pair of shortrails 22 by rivet pins through the aligned holes 202 and 203 and asocket to receive the corner post 23 which is secured by a rivet pinthrough the hole 201. Because the connection of each rail and cornerpost-to the connecting member is dependent upon the rivet pins, stressconcentrates on the aligned thru-holes 102, 103 (202, 203) of theconnecting member. After a certain number of oscillations or flexingfrom usage, these aligned thru holes 102, 103 (202, 203) may become wornor broken, rendering the structural integrity of the playpen greatlyweakened and unsafe. In addition, since each corner member 10 (20) mustbe wide enough to receive the rails and the corner post, the estheticquality of the corner member is diminished and limited.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0004] The present invention has a main object to provide a connectionstructure for the upper frame of a playpen to the corner posts whereinthe stresses on each of the rails are evenly and directly distributed toa connection point on the corner post. Said connection structureeliminates the indirect connection of the upper frame rails to the postvia the connecting member of the prior art.

[0005] Another object of the present invention is to provide aconnection structure for the frames of a playpen which is readily andeasily assembled and structurally, is both stronger and more durable.

[0006] Accordingly, the connection structure for the frame of a playpenof the present invention comprises generally an upper frame, a lowerframe and four corner posts. The upper frame is composed of a pair oflong rails and a pair of short rails, each set of rails having a medialconnector enabling the rails to be in an in-line configuration when theplaypen is erected or to be in a V-shaped configuration when the playpenis collapsed. Each set of rails has a pair of flat end portions beingrespectively and pivotably connected to an upper portion of the cornerpost. Each of four corner members covers the upper portion of itsrespective corner post. Each corner member has a L-shaped hollowinterior body including a socket to receive the top end of the cornerpost, a gap at each of its two ends to receive the flat end portions ofthe rails, and an elongate projection inside the body and a thru-hole ina lower corner beneath the projection. A positioning block connects toan outer periphery of each of the corner posts having a recess in thetop to receive the lower end of the corner member projection. The lowerend of each post connects with its respective foot member.

[0007] The lower frame is of a conventional structure which includes anoctagonal hub at its center, four divergent radial rods pivotablyconnected between the hub and the four foot members to form a crossconfiguration, a pair of transverse rods spacedly pivoted to the radialrods parallel to each other and each having a medial connector to enablethe transverse rod to be collapsed and a strap connected between thetransverse rods through the hub so that when grasps the hub upward andpushes the rails downward, the four corner posts move inward, and theplaypen thusly becomes a compact rectangular configuration forconvenient transport from one place to another.

[0008] The present invention will become more fully understood byreference to the following detailed description thereof when read inconjunction with the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 and 2 are the exploded perspective views to show the railsand the corner post connected to the corner member according to theprior art,

[0010]FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective to show the connection betweenthe rails, corner posts and the corner members of the preferredembodiment to the present invention,

[0011]FIG. 4 is a perspective view to show the assembly of FIG. 3,

[0012]FIG. 5 is a sectional view of FIG. 4, looking from the top,

[0013]FIG. 6 is a sectional view of FIG. 4, looking from the bottom,

[0014]FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 6,

[0015]FIG. 8 is a plane view with partially sectional view to show thatthe rails are collapsible, and

[0016]FIG. 9 is a perspective view to show the playpen of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0017] With reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 9 of the drawings, theconnection structure for the frames of a playpen according to thepresent invention comprises an upper frame 31 of a conventional playpen30. The upper frame 31 is composed of a pair of long rails 33 and a pairof short rails 34 (the rails may be of the same length) each having amedial connector 301 to permit the rails to be in an in-lineconfiguration when the playpen is erected or in a V-shaped configurationwhen the playpen is collapsed and each set of rails having a pair offlat end portions 331 and 341 pivotably connected to the upper portionof the post 36 by connector 332 and 342. Each of the corner posts 36 hasa transverse thru-hole 361 in its upper portion beneath the flat endportions 341 and 331 of the rails 34 and 33 for securing a positioningblock 40 by the connector 362. The positioning block 40 has an acuatesurface 41, a recess 42 in the top and a thru hole in a lower portionengaged with the transverse thru hole 361 of the posts 36. Each of thefour L-shaped hollow interior corner members 35 engages with theconjunction of the post 36 and the rails 33 and 34 respectively, thecorner member 35 having a socket 351 inside the its top to receive theupper end of the post 36, an elongate projection 352 alongside thesocket 351 which inserts into the recess 42 of positioning block 40, athru-hole 353 in its lower portion, a gap 355 formed in the upperportion of each end engageable with the flat end portion 331 and 341 ofthe rail 33 and 34 respectively and a pair of lateral walls 354 formedinside the gap 355. Each corner post 36 has a foot member 39 connectedto lower end (FIG. 9).

[0018] The lower frame 32 is of a conventional type which comprises anoctagon hub 38 at center of the playpen 30, four divergent radial rods37 pivotably connected between hub 38 and the four foot members 39respectively to formed a cross shaped configuration, a pair oftransverse rods 371 pivotably and spacedly connected to the adjacentradial rods 37 and parallel to each other, each having a medialconnector 372 to permit the transverse rods 371 to be laterallycollapsed, and a strap 381 connected between the medial connectors 372through the octagonal hub 8. When the hub 38 is pulled upward and therails 33 and 34 downward are pushed downward, all the rails 33 and 34and the rods 37 and 371 are collapsed into V-shaped configuration toforce the four corner posts 36 to move inward, so that the playpen iscollapsed into a compact rectangular configuration to facilitate movingfrom one place to another.

[0019] Referring to FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8: since the rails 33 and 34 arepivotably and perpendicularly connected to the upper portion of thecorner post 36, the corner member 35 has a pair of gaps 355 to grasp theflat end portions 331 and 341 of the rails 33 and 34 and a positioningblock 40 on the corner posts 36 for controlling the posts 36 by theelongate projection 352 inside the corner members 35, stresses aredispersed to the connection spot between the corner posts 36 and therails 33 and 34 and socket 351 and gaps 355 of the corner members suchthat connecting structure is more stable than the prior art against theoscillations and flexings of the playpen.

[0020] The specification relating to the above embodiment should beconstrued as exemplary rather than as limitative of the presentinvention, with many variations and modifications being readilyattainable by a person of average skill in the art without departingfrom the spirit or scope thereof as defined by the appended claims andtheir legal equivalents.

I claim:
 1. A connection structure for the frames of a playpencomprising: four corner posts each having an upper end, a lower end apair of aligned thru holes perpendicularly formed at different heightadjacent the upper end, a thru hole in a periphery beneath the alignedthru holes for securing a positioning block by a connector, saidpositioning block having an arcuate surface engaged with an outerperiphery of the post, a recess in top and a thru hole engaged with thethru hole of the post; a pair of long rails and a pair short railpivotably and perpendicularly connected to aligned thru holes of thefour corner posts respectively by a connector, said rails each havingmedial connecting means enabling the rails to be collapsed into aV-shaped configuration when the playpen is collapsed and two flat endportions; four hollow interior L-shaped corner members respectivelycovering the upper end of the four corner posts, said corner memberseach having a socket inside an upper corner engaged with the upper endof the posts, an elongate projection inside a corner abutting the socketincluding a lower end inserted into the recess of the positioning block,a narrow gap in upper portion of each end engaged with the flat endportions of the rails and a pair of side walls formed in lateral edgesof each of the gaps; each of the four foot members fixedly secured tothe lower end of the its respective corner post by a connector; a lowerframe having a octagonal hub at the lower center of the playpen, fourelongate rods each respectively and pivotably connected between hub andone of the four foot members to make a cross configuration, a pairtransverse rods spacedly pivoted to the elongate rods each having medialconnecting means enabling the transverse rod to be laterally collapsedinto a V-shaped configuration when the playpen is collapsed and strapconnecting the medial connecting means through top of the octagonal hub;whereby, when the octagonal hub is pulled upward and the respective setsof rails are pushed downward, the corner posts are forced to move inwardso as to collapse the playpen and making it a compact rectangularconfiguration.